


I. There Was Always Something so Unfathomably Sad in Her Complexion

by ecs



Series: It's a lonely, cold December in my heart. [1]
Category: Hockey RPF, OFC - Fandom, hockey ofc
Genre: Chicago Blackhawks, F/M, Hockey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 05:12:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1886352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ecs/pseuds/ecs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was incomprehensibly drawn to her – her mysterious grey eyes, her laugh that echoed a little too loudly, her witty humor. He shook his head and sipped his freshly brewed coffee, wondering what in God’s name had he gotten himself into.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I. There Was Always Something so Unfathomably Sad in Her Complexion

I. Hadley's POV

 

Sunlight flooded through the windows of the bedroom, allowing the warm, lingering light to pool around the hardwood floors. Hadley rubbed her eyes awake and sat up. To her left, Brandon laid face down with one arm slinging off the bed- looking as peaceful as a small child. She let herself watch him for a moment – soaking up the perfect stillness of the moment. She observed his soft lips, the gentle curve of his hips- barely jutting out through the sheets – she stopped herself. Maybe if things were different… but they’re not. She gently peeled off the covers, careful not to wake him. The oak floors creaked slightly under her as she tiptoed across them, picking up her clothes from last night that had been shed carelessly around the room. She half-heartedly dressed herself and made her way to the front door, resting her hand on the doorknob when she got there. 

“Hadley?” Brandon’s half-asleep voice echoed through the hallways. She stood for a moment- frozen in her tracks- and then turned the knob, slipped through the crack, and quietly shut the door behind her. 

She started the car and drove as fast as she could, only slowing down when she was sure that his house was out of sight. She pulled the car over and shut the engine off- salty tears spilling fast and endlessly from her eyes. Exhaustion – she felt an overwhelming amount of exhaustion. Exhaustion in her ribcage, in the corners of her heart, in every crevice of her bones. It was so damn exhausting, she thought, to pretend like you weren’t bleeding inside. 

Hadley wiped the remaining tears from her cheek, allowing the wetted mascara to remain stained on her porcelain complexion. She revvied up the engine and drove away- letting her emotions stray as she kept her focus on the road. She finally pulled into her driveway and reached for her vibrating cell phone. “(1) new message from Brandon Saad” it read. She drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, debating whether or not to open it. Finally, after her curiosity overrode her better judgment, she unlocked her phone and read the message. 

Hads you bolted out of here quicker than usual this morning. You okay? I know you want to keep this strictly a benefits thing but remember that I’m always a friend too – B.

She read the message over several times – silently wishing that her better judgment had prevailed just this one time. The words made her heart ache. She wished that things were different – that in a perfect world, she could call him and tell him about the things that weighed her heart down. But that would make whatever was going on between them more than she wanted it to be – no it wasn’t a matter of want- but rather, of need. It would make whatever was going on between them more than she needed it to be. It wasn’t possible for her heart to carry any more hurt – she couldn’t risk the depth of the damage that Brandon could cause her. Besides, she told herself, its not like he would understand anyway.

Thanks B. You can come over later. H. 

Hadley hit send and got out of her car. She fumbled through her purse, searching for several minutes before finding her house keys. She slid them through the intended slot and opened the door. It creaked open. Her dimly lit house seemed to lack the permeating light that Brandon’s always had. She stood there for a moment and surveyed the emptiness of her house. It was all so hushed, so bare, so cold. Very… hollow – yes hollow - that was the word she was looking for. 

II. Brandon's POV

Brandon awoke at the sound of his floorboards creaking. He rolled off his stomach and stretched his arms across the bed only to be greeted by wrinkled- but empty- sheets. He sighed.

“Hadley?” 

Brandon waited. Several moments later he heard her start up the car engine. He closed his eyes and pretended for a second that she wasn’t driving away but rather, coming back to bed in a minute. And for just a slim second, it felt real and it felt good. 

He didn’t understand her, but he wanted to. There was always something unfathomably sad in her complexion, he thought – even when she laughed, when she smiled. Something was always holding her back from being fully there in the present. His thoughts digressed. Coffee. I need coffee. He slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen. 

He pulled out his cell phone and shot Hadley a text. He may not understand her but he sure as hell was going to make an attempt to. Brandon massaged his temples, trying to piece together what little he had learned about her. They had met a couple weeks ago at a bar, talking briefly about herself and his career, before going back to his place. He knew she was a Harvard grad working in the business industry and that she was born and raised in Fairfield County but that was about all. The following weeks hadn’t revealed much more – it was mainly sex. Vibrations from his phone jolted him into the present.

Thanks B. You can come over later. H. 

The corners of Brandon’s lips unconsciously curled upward. He hadn’t been to Hadley’s house yet. He let himself a moment of excitement and then mulled over how stupid he was being. Most guys he knew – especially professional athletes – would be more than happy to have a strictly-sexual relationship with a girl like Hadley. It was uncomplicated and worked well with a busy schedule. But for some perplexing and unknown reason, Brandon wanted more. He was incomprehensibly drawn to her – her mysterious grey eyes, her laugh that echoed a little too loudly, her witty humor. He shook his head and sipped his freshly brewed coffee, wondering what in God’s name had he gotten himself into.


End file.
